Spring Favourites

Sorry for not posting in a long time but I've been busy finishing my University work which is now officially over! The first year has flown by and I am enjoying relaxing in the warm weather before the job hunting begins... I've been trying out a few summery products and generally being outside a lot more so I thought I would share what I've been enjoying.

Apologies for the bad quality picture, it was the only spot in my room not covered in moving boxes and clutter!

My favourite book at the moment is called 'The Opposite of Loneliness' which is a collection of essays and stories by Marina Keegan, a very talented writer who tragically was in an accident and died shortly after graduating from Yale. Being aware that she is no longer with us made reading the non fiction sections quite difficult as I found it really upsetting hearing her dreams for the future. The short stories were enchanting and there are so many hopeful and inspiring quotes that I've actually written down to keep. I've since begged everyone I know to read it as she really captured the potential of our generation and the struggle when dealing with uncertainty, something we can all relate to.

BIG by Lush is a shampoo I talk about this here and I am still just as obsessed. With seaweed, coconut oil and sea salt this shampoo adds a lot of shine and volume and the fresh scent stays in my hair for the entire day. If you wash your hair everyday, this isn't suitable as it can be drying. I only use this once or twice a week and it cleanses my scalp and really helps with scrunching hair while it dries to make it extra curly. I've only got a tiny bit left of this and I will be repurchasing for sure as it's lasted a really long time!

Another Lush product I've tried recently is the Rub Rub Rub shower scrub which came in a gift box given to me by my lovely friends Lizzie and Laura! The blue scrub has a light floral scent and the salt gives it a sea-air vibe. I used it on dry skin, like my feet and elbows for a rough scrub and on wet skin on my legs so that it would be a little less harsh. Both worked really well and made me feel a little more confident about wearing shorts to the beach as my skin looked less dull and actually glowed. I'm yet to try this in my hair but if it's as good at adding volume as Big then I'll be chuffed!

I bought The Body Shop's Banana shampoo for my boyfriend and have fallen in love with it myself! it is creamy with a lovely strong banana scent which reminds me of holidays. This leaves my hair really noticeably shiny,which might be thanks to the honey in the shampoo. Cheap and gentle, it's one I'll definitely buy again.

Normally I find that a majority of toners are mainly water and don't really see the point, but I received a sample of the balancing toner by Grown Alchemist and thought I'd give it a try. A quick swipe in the afternoon, when my face is feeling too hot or gross after travelling and it feels really refreshed. This has Rose Absolute, Ginseng and Chamomile which gives it both skin calming properties and a fresh scent. If you suffer with redness or general oiliness throughout the day, this is a really nice option as it feels cleansing without drying the skin out.

Another skincare favourite is the Cucumber gel mask by Peter Thomas Roth, which feels amazing on tired, burnt or post-waxed skin. With papaya, pineapple and aloe on the ingredients list, this has a really tropical, plant-like scent which I love and the gloopy texture melts onto your face leaving it moisturised and refreshed. Using this when cold from the fridge also feels incredible, especially if you have puffy eyes.

Now the weather might be sunny, but my skin is definitely still dry from the winter and needs intense hydration. I've been using Soap and Glory's Sugar Crush body buttercream on my legs for a few months now and it's great. The scent is one of my favourites, it's filled with lime oils and smells like a sugary fruit pastille! If you are after a budget friendly, summer scented moisturiser then I would definitely recommend trying out the Soap and Glory range.

Empty Products

I finished up some face products this month, annoyingly all at the same time! I plan on making a trip to boots soon so would love some recommendations! 

First up is Origins Ginzing moisturiser, perfect for oily skin as its a non-clogging jelly formula. It was super hydrating and cooling with a delicious orange scent. It has done wonders to my sleep deprived student skin, giving a wide awake glow! I think it was around £24 and lasted a long time. 

I also finished this face wash from Nivea, which I didn't like much as it was a gloopy gel that was far to sticky. It's also very stripping which is not ideal for dry winter skin. There are other budget face washes out there that are much better than this one.

I finished the First Aid Beauty facial radiance pads which are great for those who are new to using acids for exfoliating as they are very gentle. You swipe these across your face after cleansing before popping some moisturiser on. These helped reduce redness and size of any breakouts I had, stopped it from being dry and flaky. You can get these for £20 from Feel Unique.

For hair, I finished up this conditioner from a set I'd been gifted before starting Uni. The L'occitane repairing range is made up of essential oils including sweet orange and geranium. With sweet almond oil to smooth and soften hair fibres, I had high expectations but it didn't actually moisturise my hair that much. This really smoothed my thick hair, but weighed it down a bit too much for regular use. I loved the smell but the full size is £27 and since I didn't love it, I won't be repurchasing for such a high price tag!

Another conditioner I finished up was the American Dream from Lush. This was quite a runny formula, which smelt of vanilla and strawberries. The sweet scent stayed in my hair for a really long time but it didn't do much for hydrating my hair which is a shame. Since better alternatives are available for a lot cheaper, I'm not planning on repurchasing.

The final two products are samples that came with other purchases or gift boxes at Christmas! 

Nuxe's 'huile' is a multi purpose dry oil which I tried this on my legs and as a hair mask. It smelt really nice, very nutty from the plant oils including Macadamia and Almond to repair and soften skin. My favourite thing about it was it was dry and quick to absorb without feeling greasy. The shine this gave my hair was gorgeous. I think this comes in a spray bottle at around £28 so if you want a pre-birthday splurge or to spoil your mum - this is a winner.

The final product is a sample of L'occitane's Shea butter foot cream.Taking the time to pamper and soothe cracked skin has been a nice addition to my winter night time routine. With 15% shea butter and antisceptic lavender oil, the cream was really nourishing and it's scent made me drift off to sleep a lot better.